Thousands Evacuate as Flames Spread Rapidly [WATCH]

In the hills of Camarillo, California, intense winds drove a fast-moving wildfire into neighborhoods northwest of Los Angeles for a second day on Thursday.

The Mountain Fire, ignited by powerful Santa Ana winds, forced over 10,000 residents to evacuate and put more than 3,500 structures in peril. As Governor Gavin Newsom explained, the blaze expanded alarmingly within hours, sparking fears for homes, ranches, and agricultural land, as reported by The Associated Press.

The Mountain Fire was entirely uncontained as of late Wednesday, according to Ventura County Fire Department officials. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning through Thursday evening, indicating extremely high fire risk.

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Strong Santa Ana winds were expected to ease later in the day, providing a potential reprieve for beleaguered firefighters.

This Southern California fire outbreak led to power outages, tree damage, and calls for vigilance across several counties.

By Thursday morning, over 30,000 Californians were without electricity, with about 3,000 residents in Ventura County and nearly 4,000 in Los Angeles County left in the dark. Many of these outages were preemptive, as utility companies aimed to prevent sparks that could worsen the fire crisis.

On the ground, flames swept through neighborhoods, filling the sky with thick, dark smoke. Firefighters doused homes with water in a desperate bid to halt the fire’s advance. The Mountain Fire has torn through areas that previously endured some of California’s worst wildfires.

Within just five hours, the blaze surged from half a square mile to over 16 square miles. By the end of Wednesday, it spanned nearly 22 square miles, and efforts continued throughout the night with ground crews and water-dropping helicopters.

More than 800 firefighters tackled the inferno, with additional teams arriving statewide. Crews worked tirelessly to protect homes as Ventura County deputies urged residents to evacuate—contacting over 14,000 people to warn of rapidly spreading embers.

Fire Captain Trevor Johnson captured the tense atmosphere, sharing, “This is as intense as it gets. The hair on the back of the firefighters’ neck I’m sure was standing up.” Two residents were treated for smoke inhalation, but no major injuries were reported among the firefighters.

To the south, another blaze erupted near Malibu’s Broad Beach, threatening luxury homes and forcing temporary closures of the Pacific Coast Highway. Firefighters managed to contain 60% of this fire by late Wednesday, but not before two structures were lost.

Weather forecasts warned of continued high winds and low humidity across Southern California, with gusts reaching up to 61 mph. Officials across the state prepared for potential “extreme and life-threatening” fire behavior into Thursday, as red flag warnings extended to areas from the central coast to the San Francisco Bay Area.

In recent years, utilities have routinely shut down power during extreme fire conditions, hoping to prevent equipment from sparking blazes like the deadly Woolsey Fire in 2018 and the Thomas Fire in 2017.

On Wednesday, over 65,000 Southern California customers experienced preventive outages, with another 20,000 affected in Northern California.

As Southern California battles yet another inferno, weary residents hope that dwindling winds will help firefighters gain control of the fires and spare more communities from devastation.